Archive for
June 29th, 2009

The Memphis Grizzlies have made qualifying offers to restricted free agents Hakim Warrick and Juan Carlos Navarro, club General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Warrick, the Grizzlies’ longest-tenured and last remaining player from the club’s most-recent playoff appearance in 2006, averaged 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 82 games last season. The 6-9, 219-pound forward has averaged 10.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 307 games through four NBA seasons, all with the Grizzlies, who originally selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

In his only NBA season, Navarro averaged 10.9 points and 2.2 assists in 82 games and was named to the 2007-08 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. After his rookie season, the 6-3, 170-pound guard signed with his former Spanish club F.C. Barcelona. Memphis retains the right to match any future offer should he decide to return to the NBA.

In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.

The National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League, the official minor league of the NBA, today announced the affiliation system for the 2009-10 season, including the announcement of a direct single-affiliation partnership between the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. For the fifth consecutive year, each NBA team has one NBA D-League affiliate to which it may assign players in their first or second NBA season.

The Rockets became the first NBA team to enter into a direct single-affiliation partnership with an NBA D-League team, granting the Rockets full control over the basketball operations of the Vipers. With the move, the Rockets will be the only parent-club of the team.

In a structure similar to other minor leagues, this new partnership model, previously referred to as the “hybrid affiliation,” allows for NBA teams to secure control over and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team, while partnering with existing local ownership, who maintain responsibility for the off-the-court business operations of the team.

The New Jersey Nets have exercised the team option on the contract of forward Jarvis Hayes for the 2009-10 season, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.

“Jarvis was a key member of our rotation last season, providing instant scoring and the ability to stretch the defense,” said Thorn. “We are pleased to have him continue as a member of our roster, and look forward to a similar contribution this season.”

Hayes, a 6-8 forward from the University of Georgia, signed as a free agent with the Nets on July 16, 2008. In 2008-09, he played in 74 games including one start. Hayes averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per contest while shooting a career-high .445 (257-577) from the field, a career-high .385 (94-244) from three-point range and .692 (36-52) from the line.